Designed by SAHA as a program of research, interaction and production for artists, curators and writers, SAHA Studio offers its participants opportunities for research, experimentation, feedback, production, learning, event and networking through the contribution of SAHA’s domestic and international partnerships for 6 months.

SAHA Studio aims to foster interaction between its participants and art professionals hosted from abroad for varying periods or based in Türkiye within the scope of Curatorial Program. In addition to meetings and gatherings at SAHA Studio, activities such as research trips, exhibition, collection, and studio visits contribute to participants’ collective learning and development. Opening their ongoing processes to feedback at midterm gatherings, studio visits, and special events organized throughout the program, the artists present their newly produced works to the public at SAHA Studio Open at the end of the term, accompanied by public programs.

Opportunities provided by SAHA Studio
-- Personal workspace and mutual workshop environment at SAHA Studio for 6 months
-- Accommodation and transportation for participants invited from out of town
-- Artist honorarium
-- Production budget for research, publication, artwork production, events and presentation
-- Equipment and crew for production and installation
-- Curatorial, editorial and legal advice
-- Participation in SAHA's art and learning programs

SAHA Studio Selection Process and Terms

Launched in Beyoğlu in 2019, SAHA Studio continues its program at its premises located at the 5th block of İstanbul Manufacturers Center (İMÇ - İstanbul Manifaturacılar Çarşısı). The selections for SAHA Studio’s are made through an open call* for each term, which hosts five artists working in visual arts from different cities. Held in April and November, the open call expects the artists to submit a research project and a draft budget to conceive a new work, however, no specific medium or age criteria are imposed. Instead, the artists’ potential to benefit from SAHA Studio’s facilities for the proposed project, the interaction they will create at SAHA Studio through their individual and collective experiences and providing opportunities for artists based outside Istanbul are taken into consideration for the evaluation.

During the evaluation process, a preliminary jury composed of seven alumni evaluate the applications who meet the required criteria, marking their recommendations. Subsequently, the applications which receive minimum four positive votes from the preliminary jury are reviewed by the Selection and Advisory Board, composed by 3 members experienced in residency programs. Also acting as mentors during the terms, the Advisory Board prepares a shortlist of ten artists and following individual interviews, finalizes the participating artists.

Documents to provide at application:
- Application Form
- Project proposal (max. 500 words)
- Draft budget (research, production, presentation)
- Resume or curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Portfolio (max. 20 pages)
- Press reviews and/or catalog scans (if applicable)
- Reference letter(s) (if applicable)

Key considerations when preparing the application:
- Submitting a single PDF file (max. 7 MB) combining the application form and other documents in the required order
- Including only the works produced within the last 5 years in the portfolio.
- The portfolio should comprise 10 to 20 pages maximum, with no more than one or two projects per page
- Providing complete captions for all works (title, medium, dimensions, and date)
- Ensuring that all links for video, sound, or similar projects are active and publicly accessible

1st TERM | August 2019 – February 2020
Larissa Araz
Alper Aydın
Özgür Demirci
Sibel Horada

2nd TERM | March 2020 – December 2020
Kerem Ozan Bayraktar
Borga Kantürk
Gülşah Mursaloğlu
Metehan Özcan
Dilek Winchester

3rd TERM | January 2021 – October 2021
Onur Gökmen
Ege Kanar
Bengü Karaduman
Yasemin Nur
Merve Ünsal

4th TERM | October 2021 – May 2022
Eser Epözdemir
Berat Işık
Ali Miharbi
İz Öztat 
TUNCA

5th TERM | June 2022 – December 2022/March 2023
Atıf Akın
Ahmet Öğüt & Silent University Orientation Program
Elmas Deniz
Can Küçük
Burcu Yağcıoğlu

6th TERM | March 2023 – October 2023
Cansu Çakar
Burak Delier
Merve Ertufan 
Burak Kabadayı
Evrim Kavcar

7th TERM | November 2023 – June 2024
Mehmet Ali Boran
İrem Günaydın
Gizem Karakaş
Merve Kılıçer
İrem Tok

8th TERM | June 2024 – December 2024
Hüseyin Aksoy
Betül Aksu
Kıymet Daştan
Nadir Sönmez
Zeynep Yılmaz

9th TERM | January 2025 – June 2025
Mert Acar
Mathilde Melek An
Nejbir Erkol
Merve Tuna
Sevil Tunaboylu

10th TERM | July 2025 - December 2025
Can Memişoğulları
Suat Öğüt
Neval Tarım
Gizem Ünlü
Mk Yurttaş

11th TERM | January 2026 - June 2026
Eda Gecikmez
Yekateryna Grygorenko
Zeynep Gürler
Elif Öner
Furkan Öztekin

* For the first seven terms of the program, up to June 2024, participants were selected and invited by the Selection and Advisory Board from among the recommendations of initiatives operating in different cities in Türkiye, independent curators, and the program alumni. After the 8^th term between June – December 2024 the open call modality was adopted to ensure diversity.

SAHA Studio envisages that all its participants come together under the same principles of goodwill and cooperation, without compromise regarding religion, language, race, gender, or sexual orientation.